In surgical procedures, used sponges and towels that are used to soak up blood and other fluids during the procedures are disposed of by placing them in a kick bucket that is typically placed on the floor adjacent to the operating table. Not infrequently, the sponges will miss the bucket and drop to the floor or other area creating an unsanitary and potentially unsafe environment.
It is typical practice during or after the procedure to account for all of the sponges to ensure that no sponge has been left inside the patient after the surgical procedure. Thus, the used sponges in the kick bucket may be periodically transferred to a sponge counter unit that is typically suspended on an IV pole to facilitate counting of the used sponges. Transfer of the sponges from the bucket to the sponge counter unit requires the surgery room personnel to bend down to access the bucket, which is undesirable. The bucket is also located in a non-sterile environment so that the surgery room personnel may have to rescrub. Movement of the bucket may also be required to facilitate transfer of the sponges to the counting unit.
The present invention eliminates the need for a kick bucket and also allows surgery room personnel to dispose of used sponges while maintaining sterility and providing an effective means for accounting for the used sponges, as well as provide other advantages.